


we’re dancing with the demons in our minds

by no_mourners_no_funerals



Series: no mourners no funerals [4]
Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Always, Book 2: Crooked Kingdom Spoilers, F/M, Grishaverse, Inej leaves, Inej leaves on the Wraith, Inej loves Kaz, Kanej - Freeform, Kaz Brekker is awesome, Ketterdam, M/M, PTSD, Pining, Post-Book 2: Crooked Kingdom, Post-Canon, Post-Crooked Kingdom, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, both of them have ptsd, but she will come back, i freaking love kanej, idk hpw to tag, read the series to make more sense but can be stand alone, tho she doesnt... adress it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-23 17:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20343766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/no_mourners_no_funerals/pseuds/no_mourners_no_funerals
Summary: The Wraith is ready to sail and there is only one person Inej didn’t say goodbye to. Yet.





	we’re dancing with the demons in our minds

**Author's Note:**

> I love writing this series, it’s so... almost effortless just pure joy of writing kanej :) even tho they’re both criminals kanej is just soooooo cute and pure and i love it tho its angsty at times

The Wraith was ready to sail and her parents were already on board. Inej sighed and jumped on one of the docking posts, trying to settle herself. Her whole body was tense with anticipation and she couldn’t wait to feel the salty wind against her face and face the mysteries of the sea. 

She looks at the city once more.

Ketterdam. 

The kingdom of thieves, murderers, frauds and crooked merchants. 

And still... for the last few years it became her home. She built a life here, gained a reputation. Met people who were like her second family. 

Jesper. 

Wylan. 

She already said her goodbyes to them. 

Nina. 

Left for Ravka.

Matthias...

She exhaled deeply.

_Oh, Matthias_. 

The Dregs, Anika and others. Her brutal, immoral, cruel and loyal family.

They all already knew. Of course, they didn’t really care more than about losing a _very_ valuable asset. Inej smirked knowingly. Oh, Ketterdam, what do you make of people. 

She took out her Sankt Alexander and started swirling him in her fingers. 

There was only one person she was waiting for. She smiled softly. Of course he wouldn’t come until the last minute, right? That’s Kaz Brekker for you. _Rietvield_, she corrected herself in her mind. _Kaz Rietvield_. She still couldn’t quite believe that he told her his name. 

She changed her position on the post. 

Kaz Rietvield. A broken boy from the Barrel who grew to be Dirtyhands.

Cruel.

Unforgiving.

Terrifying.

But... 

Considerate.

She would sometimes go as far as _caring_... in his own way. And, well, not to most people. 

But Kaz did everything his own way, like a cat. 

A very moody, fussy, black cat with _terrible_ attitude.

Inej was smiling a bit at her thoughts when she spotted something in the crowd. More precisely, a black coat, a black hat and a cane. Yep, until the last minute. She slid down the post with her usual grace and looked into the crowd.

”Looking for me?” said a low gravelly voice from behind her, rumbling with well hidden amusement. She turned around and smirked.

”Why would I? I was just sinking in the view of the city,” Inej answered cheekily. Kaz rolled his eyes. 

“Both of us know that it’s not quite true,” he retorted, smirking.

”Well, if you’d come earlier, I wouldn’t have to look.” Inej smiled leaning against the post she was sitting on just a few moments earlier.

”Who says that I didn’t want you to look?” Kaz asked, still smirking.

It was Inej’s time to roll her eyes. 

“Hello, Kaz.”

”Good morning, Inej.”

“So,” she paused and smiled. “What business?”

”Does it _have_ to be a business?”

Inej’s smiled widened.

”You know, half of Ketterdam would have a heart attack if they heard these words from you. _Kaz Brekker? Not doing something for business?_ _Impossible_.” Both of them chuckled.

”I don’t care for half of Ketterdam.” _I care for you, _his subconscious added. He pushed the thought away.

”I know. Everybody knows.”

Inej sobered a little. She realised that this was possibly the last time she would have this friendly banter with him for a long time. Kaz noticed it and swiftly changed the subject.

”Anyway, who’s your first victim?” He smirked.

”Considering that the Menagerie is out of business,” his smirked widened and she smacked him lightly on his arm. He didn’t stiffen, that was a huge progress. “Yes, thank you for that. I thought that maybe I’d go for the White Rose. An easier start while I get into business.”

Kaz shook his head with a chuckle.

”Inej, only you would refer to destroying one of the most “luxurious” pleasure houses as an easy start. When are you leaving?”

”As soon as we finish. The Wraith is fully ready, parents on board. I waited for you.”

Kaz’s eyebrows lifted a little.

”Admirable organisation skills, Captain Ghafa.”

Inej smiled.

”I’m no captain until I prove myself competent. The crew needs to trust me.”

”That won’t be hard. They know your reputation as the Wraith. I couldn’t imagine a more competent person.”

Inej gasped with fake awe.

”Was that a compliment? Who would’ve thought that Kaz Brekker, the bastard of the Barrel, gives compliments?”

Kaz sighed, faking exasperation.

”I’m beginning to regret that.”

”Don’t. It was nice.”

There was a while of awkward silence when neither of them knew what to say. It all seemed too final for them, even though it wasn’t. Inej knew that she would come back. Finally, Kaz cleared his throat. 

“Since we’re already here... I have something that you might need.”

Inej looked at him with soft eyes.

”Kaz... you already bought me a ship, what more could I _possibly_ need?”

He reached for something from inside of his coat. When he took it out, Inej breathed in slowly.

”Kaz...”

”Your knives might not be enough on the sea.” He handed her the gift. She took it carefully, as if it was made of glass.

The sheath was made of black leather, embroidered with red and purple flowers, with knives gleaming from under the leaves. But Inej noticed something more. Scattered through the leather, almost impossible to notice... were six black crows.

”Six of crows?” she asked. He nodded with a barely noticeable smile. “Kaz, I don’t know what to say.”

”Then don’t say anything. Unsheathe it.”

Inej did as he told her. She gripped the hilt and tugged. The steel blade glistened in the morning light. She looked at it with awe. It was almost two feet long, but light, lighter than she would have suspected basing on the size of the blade. It was a bit curved at the end, the sharp side perfectly grinded. She turned the blade around and saw waves beautifully engraved in the steel. The hilt was simple but comfortable, coated in the same black leather that made the sheath.

”It’s beautiful, I love it. But... you really shouldn’t spend so much money on me.”

Kaz smirked.

”You can’t force me not to. By the way... you will need it. Your whole crew has guns, but you always were more effective with a blade. Those traffickers won’t know what hit them.”

Inej smirked.

”Don’t worry, they certainly will when I’m done with them.”

Kaz smirked too.

”I hope so. I might have something that will help you.” He passed her a piece of paper. Inej noticed that he slipped of his gloves and it made her smile a bit. He really was trying for her, wasn’t he? She read the paper. It was a list of trafficking ships’ names heading to Ketterdam in the next month. Nothing from where from they were headed, but Inej didn’t need that now. 

“Thank you, Kaz,” she said softly. Kaz looked at the ship and smirked, but there was some kind of heavily guarded sadness behind his eyes. 

“As much as I enjoy this conversation, your crew seems a bit restless. You can’t stall any more, Captain Ghafa.”

”I can talk with you how long I like. I’m their Captain, after all,” Inej said with a smirk but nervousness crept up to her. In a few moments, she will leave everything she had during the hardest years of her life, and even though she really wanted to, she was terrified. 

“Inej...” She looked Kaz in the eyes and understood. This moment started to be painful. She needed to go. She hesitated but took Kaz’s hands in her own. His breath hitched slightly, but he didn’t back away.

“I will come back. I don’t know when, maybe in three months, maybe six, but I will come back.”

”I know.” He squeezed her hands slightly. “Goodbye, Wraith. Give them hell.” He seemed to hesitate, but he looked her in the eyes and leaned his forehead on hers. “Make them remember you, Inej Ghafa.” It was her breath that hitched this time, but not from fear nor trauma. He really cared for her. 

“I will. Goodbye, Kaz Rietvield.” 

In all honesty, she didn’t want this moment to end. Just before she made a decision to pull away, Kaz moved and gently kissed her forehead. 

“Go. They’re waiting.” 

They leaned away. Inej lingered a bit, still holding Kaz’s hands.

”Don’t do anything stupid Kaz, or I’ll come and kick your ass.”

He smirked.

”Oh, then I’ll definitely do it.”

Inej rolled her eyes. 

“Just... don’t die while I’m away, that’s all I’m asking for.”

Another half-smile. 

“Never in my plans.”

”Then stick to the plans.”

With reluctance, Inej let go of Kaz’s hands.

”Goodbye,” she said finally.

”Goodbye.” 

He watched as she turned away to the ship, but it wasn’t after she made three steps, when she turned around once more.

”I will write.”

”You don’t have to.”

”I know. But I will.”

”Good.”

She finally walked onto the ship. When she turned around for the last time, Kaz was already gone. She smiled fondly. Kaz will always be Kaz, no matter how much he changed. 

She turned around and with the smile still on her face and her new blade strapped to her belt, Captain Inej Ghafa started her new life.


End file.
